New state rule would limit cost-of-living increases for unions

Jason Stein and Patrick Marley:

Gov. Scott Walker used his broad new powers to reshape a state rule and effectively lower the cost-of-living raises that public worker unions can win through bargaining.

For workers in public schools and technical colleges, the revised emergency rule put in place Thursday could reduce the upper limit of their allowed salary increases by an estimated 30% or more. A spokeswoman for the Walker administration said that the change was necessary to properly implement the labor legislation signed by the Republican governor last year.

Under that law, unions' bargaining is limited to cost-of-living adjustments and the change by Walker would limit that bargaining more than the original rule proposed by his own appointees.

Katy Lounsbury, a Madison labor attorney, said the rules effectively neuter teachers unions in their bargaining over salaries. She said the rules may result in legal action because she believes they violate people's rights to associate.

"It certainly seems worthy of a challenge," she said. "It penalizes members of a union."

Posted by Jim Zellmer at April 22, 2012 1:29 AM
Subscribe to this site via RSS/Atom: Newsletter signup | Send us your ideas